§33-20F-7 Initial capital and surplus; special assessment; failure to pay assessment; disposition of civil penalty collected.
§33-20F-7. Initial capital and surplus; special assessment; failure to pay assessment; disposition of civil penalty collected.
(a) There is hereby created in the state treasury a special revenue account designated as the "Board of Risk and Insurance Management Physicians' Mutual Insurance Company Account" solely for the purpose of receiving moneys transferred from the West Virginia Tobacco Medical Trust Fund pursuant to sub-section (c), section two, article eleven-a, chapter four of this code for the company's use as initial capital and surplus.
(b) On the first day of July, two thousand three, a special one-time assessment, in the amount of one thousand dollars, shall be imposed on every physician licensed by the board of medicine or by the board of osteopathy for the privilege of practicing medicine in this state: Provided, That the following physicians shall be exempt from the assessment:
(1) A faculty physician who meets the criteria for full-time faculty under subsection (f), section one, article eight, chapter eighteen-b of this code, who is a full-time employee of a school of medicine or osteopathic medicine in this state, and who does not maintain a private practice;
(2) A resident physician who is a graduate of a medical school or college of osteopathic medicine enrolled and who is participating in an accredited full-time program of post-graduate medical education in this state;
(3) A physician who has presented suitable proof that he or she is on active duty in armed forces of the United States and who will not be reimbursed by the armed forces for the assessment;
(4) A physician who receives more than fifty percent of his or her practice income from providing services to federally qualified health center as that term is defined in 42 U.S.C. §1396d(l)(2);
(5) A physician who practices solely under a special volunteer medical license authorized by section ten-a, article three or section twelve-b, article fourteen, chapter thirty of this code. The assessment is to be imposed and collected by the board of medicine and the board of osteopathy on forms prescribed by each licensing board;
(6) A physician who is licensed on an inactive basis pursuant to subsection (b), section twelve, article three, chapter thirty of this code or section ten, article fourteen, chapter thirty or a physician who voluntarily surrenders his license: Provided, That a retired osteopathic physician, who submits to the board of osteopathy an affidavit asserting that he or she receives no monetary remuneration for any medical services provided, executed under the penalty of perjury and if executed outside the state of West Virginia, verified, may be considered to be licensed on an inactive basis: Provided, however, That if a physician elects to resume an active license to practice in the state and the physician has never paid the assessment, then as a condition of receiving an active status license, the physician must pay the special one-time assessment; and
(7) A physician who practices less than forty hours a year providing medical genetic services to patients within this state.
(c) The entire proceeds of the special assessment collected pursuant to subsection (b) of this section shall be dedicated to the company. The board of medicine and the board of osteopathy shall promptly pay over to the company all amounts collected pursuant to this section to be used as policyholder surplus for the company.
(d) Any physician who applies to purchase insurance from the company and who has not paid the assessment pursuant to subsection (b) of this section shall pay one thousand dollars to the company as a condition of obtaining insurance from the company.
(e) A physician who fails to pay the special one-time assessment imposed on the first day of July, two thousand three, pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, on or before the thirtieth day of June, two thousand four, or when the license is due for renewal, whichever is earlier, and has received written notice of the assessment and option to elect inactive status, at least thirty days before the licensure renewal date or by the thirtieth day of May, two thousand four, is subject to a civil penalty in the amount of two hundred fifty dollars payable to either the board of medicine or the board of osteopathy. Furthermore, and notwithstanding any provision of chapter thirty to the contrary, the board of medicine or the board of osteopathy shall immediately suspend the license to practice medicine or podiatry of any physician who received notice and failed to pay the special assessment by the first day of July, two thousand four. Any license to practice medicine suspended pursuant to this section shall remain suspended until both the special assessment and the civil penalty are paid in full.
(f) The entire proceeds of the civil penalty collected pursuant to subsection (e) of this section shall be dedicated to the company. The board of medicine and the board of osteopathy shall promptly pay over to the company all amounts collected pursuant to subsection (e) of this section to be used as policyholder surplus for the company.
(g) The requirements of subsection (b), (c), (d), (e) and (f) of this section shall terminate on January 1, 2008 unless continued or reestablished.